


A Feast of Spirits

by binarylazarus



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Haruno Sakura, F/F, Haruno Sakura-centric, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Mild Gore, Minor Character Death, Mokuton User Haruno Sakura, Spirits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2020-10-21 00:06:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20684192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/binarylazarus/pseuds/binarylazarus
Summary: She’s in the Forest of Death hunched over the carcass of a god, elbow-deep in its chest cavity. It whispers to her, commanding her to consume a portion of its flesh, to accept this gift. Its body tastes like dried leaves and morning dew, and Sakura is crying. Crying because the blood drips gold and burns inside of her. Apologies gurgle in her throat, milky tears flow from her eyes, and the spirits’ rattling becomes louder and louder, but Sakura cannot stop until the deed is done. Cannot stop until this hunger subsides. This is the forest’s gift.A Mokuton!Sakura Fanfic





	1. Awakening

She’s in the Forest of Death hunched over the carcass of a god, elbow-deep in its chest cavity. It whispers to her, commanding her to consume a portion of its flesh, to accept this gift. Its body tastes like dried leaves and morning dew, and Sakura is crying. Crying because the blood drips gold and burns inside of her. Apologies gurgle in her throat, milky tears flow from her eyes, and the spirits’ rattling becomes louder and louder, but Sakura cannot stop until the deed is done. Cannot stop until this hunger subsides. This is the forest’s gift. 

Sakura gasps awake to find herself on the outskirts of Training Ground 44. A cool breeze hits her and she shivers feeling sticky from sweat. She has no memory of leaving her house, yet here she is in front of the Forest of Death. The same forest from her dreams. Dreams that had been plaguing her since the second stage. The forest looms with longs shadows and ancient trees groan with the flow of the wind. Gates normally sealed lay open, inviting her into its dark embrace, and she catches the glimpse of something beneath the canopy of trees. 

Her feet move on their own, as if called towards the figure in the distance. At the edge of the trees, just inside the gate, she sees it--the Shishigami bathed in gold with a hundred horns jutting from its head. Its eyes lock with hers. Its pupils grow ever wide with some ancient knowledge, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand and a breath to catch in her throat. Sakura is locked in the creature’s gaze for what feels like an eternity before she’s pulled back by a firm hand, breaking her from her reverie. 

An Anbu wearing a boar mask holds her shoulder firmly, “This area is off limits. What are you doing here?” There’s no killing intent coming off the Anbu but Sakura realizes how strange it must be to find a child on the outskirts of a deadly training ground in her sleep wear. Sakura is glad she sleeps in an old shirt and shorts, but she blushes nonetheless. 

“I...I don’t. I,” Sakura struggles to find an excuse, a reason, anything to cover up why she was there. 

Another Anbu with an eagle appears beside them, “She’s just a kid. I doubt she was causing any real trouble. Right?” 

Sakura nods furiously. 

“The seal was broken, we need to report this.”

“We will, but I think we can let pinkie go.” Sakura blanches at the nickname, but knows a free pass when she sees one and leaves the training ground. Her legs carry her back to her house just as the sun begins to touch the horizon, and she finds her window wide open inviting her back to bed. She sleeps until the afternoon, dreamless and unaware of the kodama sitting by her windowsill watching. 

In the month before the final matches the dreams continue. Some nights she stands at the foot of a grand cedar with gold ichor dripping from her lips and fingers--the Shishigami off in the distance. Other nights she is alone in the middle of a field bathed in moonlight, surrounded by the cacophony of Yamabikos. 

One night Sakura’s dream turns into a nightmare. She’s running, barely holding on to Naruto and Sasuke through the trees. Orochimaru is trailing after her. The branch she’s on loses purchase and she’s falling, and Naruto and Sasuke are gone. Sakura gasps for air the pain unbearable, frantically looking for her teammates. Instead she is alone in a part of the forest that looks so unlike the hell she’s traversed through. A hundred pools stand before her with younger sapling trees sprouting from the crystal waters, and in the distance a serpent rises from the pool. When it turns its eyes to her she wakes up. 

It gets harder to tell the difference between her dreams and reality, as things beyond her control bleed into her everyday life. First, it’s the grass that sprouts between her floorboards, then weeds take over her parent’s small garden. She tries her best to ignore the strangeness of it all, but she’s seeing things she cannot explain and is followed by creatures that belong in picture books. At the corners of her vision she catches an Aosaginohi bathing in the bath with other herons. The birds are unbothered by it’s blue-flaming presence. She’s certain there are other smaller yokai hiding from her, but entertaining such thoughts means believing her dreams to be just as real as the mundane. 

Weeks go by, the Preliminaries draw closer, and Sakura feels herself drowning, lost in her visions. She wakes up several times on her ceiling forming hand signs to jutsu she’s never used, and other times she’s atop the Shodaime’s monument drawing seals she’s never seen before. It all comes to a head, one night, in the middle of a field behind the Yamanaka complex. She wakes up with sweat coating her brow and Ino calling out to her. 

Ino runs to her gripping her shoulders, out of breath, “Sakura! Forehead, what the hell! I’ve been calling out to you for the past 5 minutes. Are you okay?” 

It’s a simple question and Sakura wants to lie and say yes she’s okay, but Ino’s eyes bore into hers and Sakura can’t stop tears from spilling. “I...I don’t know.” Onibi creep around the edges of the field pulling Sakura’s gaze away for a moment, and she begins to wipe her tears with her sleeve. 

Ino stands silent, biting the inside of her cheek. She’s not sure where they stand, just that they’re friends again, and right now her friend needs her. So, she pushes Sakura to the ground. 

“What the hell, Pig!” Sakura tries to stand back up only for Ino to push her down again. “What’s your deal?” 

“Just shut up and lay down, Forehead!” 

Ino lays down in the field next to Sakura moments later, not daring to look her friend in the eye. The blonde tries to focus on the stars above, but can feel Sakura’s gaze on her--waiting for an answer. Looking over she feels the air leave her lungs. Sakura’s eyes glow emerald under the constellations. Ino is captivated by her ethereal gaze that shines brighter than all the stars above. Yamanaka eyes were pupil-less, a gift from the great boar gods that taught her people to survive and left future generations spirit-touched. Their lingering imprint allows her kin to traverse minds the same way the Nara manipulate shadows and the Akamichi change size. Ino had heard the stories of yokai her whole life, was taught to respect them even if she couldn’t always see them. In Sakura’s eyes she sees not the faint touch of spirits, but their overflowing essence barely contained within her friend. It terrifies her. 

“Ino, do you believe in gods?” 

Ino doesn’t respond, doesn’t look away, just lies there as she’s enveloped in a field of flowers springing to life under the moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kodama are forest spirits similar to dryads (the little baby spirits from Princess Mononoke). Yamabiko refers to the echo from the mountain and are dog-like creatures (they make a rattling noise). The Shishigami is the deer god, and Aosaginohi are herons that have become yokai towards the end of their life. Onibi are will-o-wisps.
> 
> If you can't tell this fic is heavily inspired by Princess Mononoke. I was captivated by the idea of Mokuton as a power connected with the forest, and from there I decided that the Shinobi world should have a deeper connection with the supernatural.
> 
> If you like Princess Mononoke and the whole idea of forests and lost worlds I also recommend Children Who Chase Lost Voices and Origins Spirits of the Past. They're some of my favorite none-Ghibli movies.
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated! This is my first fic in years. The Naruto Renaissance really did it to me!


	2. Lull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino is a florist afterall, and a florists tend to their flowers with care and patience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much comments and kudos. I was not expecting such a massive response and it helped me with the next two chapters.

Her father finds Ino asleep in a sea of hydrangea and kosumosu. He pulls her from the fields so that they can burn sage together--something they haven’t done in years. She wonders if he too is aware of the changing ripples of the universe. 

The smoke burns her eyes and the smell constricts her throat. When her father asks if she is alright she doesn’t answer. How can she describe the energies of the earth coursing through her friend? The power held beneath Sakura’s skin. It is terrifying, volatile, and unexplained. It makes her want to run, but then she remembers Sakura’s uncertainty--the way her voice shook and body convulsed. Ino knew she couldn’t just let this go. 

So she steals away into the Yamanaka family archives. Takes ancient scrolls from the sealed room, and runs to Sakura’s house. She’s knocking on the door with an impatient fervor. Kizashi, Sakura’s father, opens the door surprised to see Ino. 

“Is Sakura here? I have something important to talk to her about! It’s really really important ninja stuff!” Ino is trying to balance all the scrolls in her arms and Kizashi looks at the girl unsure what to say, but he lets her in without protest. 

Ino rushes past the man and bumps into Mebuki. Balancing the scrolls in her arms to free her hands, Ino signs a quick greeting to the woman. Her JSL is rusty, but she still remembers the basics from the years Sakura spent drilling her with the knowledge. Academy kids are not taught to sign, not the way Sakura does, and Ino feels grateful that Sakura shared that with her--even during the time they spent apart from each other. 

“Forehead! Open the door, my hands are full!” The blonde waits a few minutes listening for sounds in the room. “Sakura, I swear to kami stop trying to ignore me this is important!” She hears shuffling and Sakura opens the door letting Ino barrel through. 

Sakura’s room exists in a state of controlled chaos. Grass is sprouting through the floorboards and there’s stacks of scrolls Sakura must have borrowed from the library scattered across the floor. Ino is once again taken aback by how her friend has been suffering in silence--struggling to understand the changes within herself. How much help could Ino truly offer? She doesn’t know, but she can’t leave Sakura alone. 

Ino is a florist afterall, and a florists tend to their flowers with care and patience. 

The girls steal themselves away in the confines of Sakura’s room, pouring over scrolls, trying to pull as much information as possible from the dusty tomes. The Yamanaka have a long history with the spirits. Categorizing and naming the various floral and plant-based yokai that make homes in the flowers they grow. What Sakura can remember of her encounter bears little resemblance to the Yamanaka scrolls. 

One humid day, while lying together on Sakura’s futon, Ino floats an idea by Sakura. Using Shintenshin no Jutsu Ino can view Sakura’s memories and perhaps understand what the girl had seen. It’s a foolish idea but Sakura allows it. Forming a circle with her thumbs and first two fingers Ino summons her yin chakra and transfers her energy at her target. 

Ino opens her eyes to find herself in the middle of a lake with water that reflect the clouds and sky above. The water does not move, not even a ripple stretches across the vastness of this space. Looking down, Ino sees the roots of many trees and a forest reaching out as far as the crystal lake she’s standing on. She reaches down into the water, feels a force grab her arm and pull her through to the forest floor. 

For a moment she’s lost among the canopy of trees and then her spirit is propelled forward to the foot of a grand cedar. At the base of the tree stands a deer, it grazes at the base of thick root. As it turns to look towards her, she sees a gaping hole in its chest and from its ribs emerges a mizuchi with silver scales and blue feathers. The mizuchi coils around the deer as the deer’s horns grow wider and its face begins to morph into that of the Shishigami. 

Water begins to pool around Ino’s ankles and vines are pulling her under trying to eradicate the foreign presence. She’s pulled back through to the vast lake only this time she is not alone. In the distance stands a boar, enormous and steadfast. “You’ve gone too deep little one. It is time to wake up.” Tears fall from her face creating ripples in the lull of the waters--she feels safe. 

When the connection breaks she’s looking into green eyes full of worry. Sakura is apologizing, begging for forgiveness, and wiping the tears from Ino’s cheeks. Ino grabs Sakura’s wrists holding her hands in place and leans towards her until their foreheads touch. Their breaths mingle in the silence and Ino whispers that she’s ok--that they’re both here in this place together. Somehow it’s enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hydrangea are often associated with apologies in Japan while kosumosu or cosmos means love. So when Ino called Sakura a cosmo flower it was pretty gay, and also a reference to the flower being called Autumn Sakura. A mizuchi is a Japanese water dragon or serpent. Similar to Haku in Spirited Away. Shintenshin no Jutsu is Mind Body Transfer Jutsu. 
> 
> JSL stands for Japanese Sign Language. I thought about making a ninja sign language, but this made more sense. I headcanon that Sakura's mom is deaf and Sakura grew up learning sign and drilling her team and friends to learn it too. Kakashi has always known how to sign, his father taught him and it delights Sakura to no end that he knows. Tsunade and Shizune can sign because what kind of doctors would they be if they weren't able to communicate with all their patients. 
> 
> So originally this chapter and the next were going to be one chapter, but chapter 3 kept getting bigger and there were things I needed to do to bridge the two. I wanted to in a way explain that inner Sakura is the entity of the forest within her, and play to her chakra natures. I'm changing a lot about the characters and events of the series, so it's a tough balance when choosing what to adapt in a way that still feels like the show. Anyways chapter 3 is my favorite one yet! Kudos and comments mean a lot! 
> 
> Special thanks to Vicky for fixing all my commas and indulging me in my AUs.


	3. Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every sense of normalcy Sakura and Ino reclaim is ripped from under them during the finals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for minor character death and some violent imagery.

Every sense of normalcy Sakura and Ino reclaim is ripped from under them during the finals.

Sakura is racing through the streets with Sasuke, Naruto, and Shikamaru. They fight Sand and Sound shinobi chasing after Gaara—following the instructions of their Sensei, lead by his summon, Pakkun. Somewhere along the way Sakura loses her team and she’s standing at the edge of the civilian district. She doesn’t remember coming here, but the blood in her veins thrums with a volatile rhythm telling her to move forward. 

Sakura knows her parents were not at the stadium, knows many civilians couldn’t afford to miss the business brought by foreign visitors, had lives apart from the daily happenings of the military sector, but what she finds is worse than she could have imagined. 

There are houses on fire and civilian blood in the streets. Several buildings have caved in, a result of explosive tags, and the taste of iron and gunpowder coat her tongue. A few unfortunate chunin were strung up by trap wire, their eyes clouded over—extinguished. What little forces were stationed in this area had been killed and dragged through the streets. 

The spirits are screaming with noxious fury through the whole village, and Sakura wants to cover her ears and forget. Wants the pain to stop, but the crescendo of voices grows louder and louder. Her heart beats to an ancient drum, and her feet carry her down a familiar street. 

She stands at the threshold of her home. Inside there’s broken glass, signs of a struggle, and Sakura creeps through the house not breathing. She finds an enemy shinobi bleeding out on the floor—a kitchen knife stuck in his chest. She follows a trail of blood that leads to her mother. A book shelf had toppled over her and with shaky limbs Sakura scrambles to use her strength to push the furniture off her mother. There’s bruising on her mother’s legs, but Sakura can feel a pulse, can feel her mother’s labored breaths. 

The girl doesn’t want to move but she has to find her father. She’s searching through the house calling his name —smearing dirt and blood out of her teary eyes, frantic to find him. With dread, she stumbles into garden and finds her father’s body. His eyes are glassy and he’s choking on his own blood, coughing out his last breaths. She’s applying pressure to the stab wound through his stomach, pleading for him to hold on but he doesn’t. 

Sakura hands are sticky red, her ears are ringing, and the spirits are wailing. Their lamenting grows louder as chakra swirls in the pit of her stomach. It leaks out hot and her hair seems to stand on end. The rage is spilling out from her body and the grass turns a sickly brown. She forms the sign of the snake and presses her palms deep into the soil, pushing all her agony into cool sod. 

The district erupts in a sea of fauna and woodlands. Hundreds of branches curve into the heads of dragons winding through the neighborhood, seeking targets with prejudice. A Sand-nin screams as they sink into the earth—ivy covering their body burying them alive. Several Sound-nin breathe in wisteria poison, choking on their last breaths. One ninja is ripped apart by two wooden dragon heads. His comrades flee in fear but cannot escape the hysteria. In the treetops spirits watch with hungry glowing eyes as the chaos unfolds. 

Ino feels the malevolent swirl of chakra coming the civilian sector, and she just knows it’s Sakura. Tall trees loom in the distance as she gets closer, and she is clambering over thick roots and uneven streets. She catches sight of a man’s body severed in half and vomits. She’s frozen by the terror that is ripping through the streets. Unable to move, she collapses to the ground shaking. Feeling the presence of a yokai, she looks up to see a boar with large tusks and white fur caked with dried blood. Kunai are littered about its body and it stands waiting for the girl to compose herself. It is bigger than any boar she has ever seen—she stands before kami. 

Ino bows to the grand boar god, with shaky knees coated in dust and dirt, before pushing herself back on her feet. It guides her through the streets until they reach Sakura's house. It places its large snout against her body and blows warm air on her face reassuring her before disappearing into the newborn forest. 

Ino finds Sakura in the garden hands deep in the dirt pouring rage and sorrow into the ground. She sees Kizashi motionless and Ino cannot breathe, cannot speak. Through sheer stubborn will, she tackles Sakura to the ground, wrestles her friend’s hands from the dirt. There’s a struggle and the blonde is wrapping herself around her friend, hugging her as tight as possible. 

“Sakura, enough! You have to stop, please!” Ino pleads with the girl until warm tears stain Ino’s neck. Sakura is sobbing, convulsing, and screaming. Ino can only hold her until the forest recedes and the spirits grow quiet. 

In the distance a Shinigami feasts on the soul of a kage his spirit gestating in its belly. The invasion ends, and the people of Konoha are left in shambles. 

The hospital is bursting with the broken bodies of villagers and shinobi. Sakura isn’t able to visit her mom; there’s no room for her to sit by the cot she’s resting on. Despite Sakura’s insistence that she’s there to help translate for her mother, the doctors rush her out calling her a bother. Sasuke and Naruto are similarly pushed out of the hospital as soon as they’re able to stand. There are just not enough beds for the wounded. On their way out the boys catch a nurse growing irate with Mebuki as she tries to ask a series of questions. Naruto gets angry and rushes over knocking the nurse down. He yells at the med-nin for not realizing Mebuki is deaf. Kakashi manages to find the boys before a fight breaks out and signs the nurse’s questions to Mebuki. The pink-haired woman looks at Kakashi with tired mint-green eyes and signs her thanks before closing them to rest. 

Sasuke and Naruto find Sakura waiting at the Records Office in a sea of people. She is shaking overwhelmed by the throngs of people, holding the instructions Inoichi had given her. A child should not have to declare the death of a parent and yet Sakura is here just like many others doing what she must to ensure peace for her father. Sasuke takes the paper from Sakura while Naruto holds her hand and they wait together. Later that night Kakashi finds them tangled in a blanket on his couch with lingering tears in their eyes. 

A week after the invasion the village holds a funeral for the Sandaime. 

What’s the death of a hokage to that of father? Sakura wonders, biting the inside of her cheek until she tastes metal. She wonders if this many people would shed tears for the blacksmith or the baker. If they would notice the lost voices or emptiness in the village. Spirits...spirits cry for everyone. They mourn and grow angry at the violation of life. They spill tears even for the Sandaime who failed, but Sakura is not a spirit and no tears fall. All there is is the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. 

Her father’s funeral is a rushed affair. Too many people are picking up the broken pieces of their lives to notice the small girl lighting incense by the flat gravestone. Her mother was too injured to leave the hospital, so Sakura is left to pray for her father’s ghost without her. 

Viscous tears roll down her cheeks as her team stands off to the side giving Sakura space. A chunin pulls Kakashi away for an urgent matter and Sakura is left with her two teammates. Sasuke leaves first. It’s hard for him to stand among the dead. He’s hyperventilating, choking on memories of his own family. Naruto leaves after Sakura’s insistence that he check on Sasuke. She’s on her knees digging her nails into the damp soil, forehead touching the earth until night falls. Ino finds her and grabs her hand leading her back to the Yamanaka compound to eat plain rice and sleep. 

Kakashi is pulled away to the civilian district, flanked by Anko. There’s ninja everywhere picking apart the streets, collecting corpses, and moving rubble. He’s in front of Sakura’s house and can feel his left eye throbbing, alerting him to the lingering presence of yokai. Ibiki steps out of the shambles of his student’s home flanked by Jiraiya, who seems deep in thought. The Sannin motions for Kakashi to follow him and they walk into the house. The home is overrun with grass and plant life, as if the place has been untouched for generations.

Kakashi is led into the garden where anbu Neko is running soil through his finger tips. The smell of blood, dirt, and dead grass overwhelms his senses and Kakashi’s stomach flips and flutters. Neko looks up toward his friend. 

“Tell me about Sakura Haruno, Senpai.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wisteria is a flowering plant commonly found in Japan, Korea, and China. Consuming it's seeds are poisonous and cause mild to severe inflammation of your digestive track. Shinigami is a dead spirt or god. The boar god is based off of Okkoto from Princess Mononoke. I like to imagine that Sakura's mom looks a little more like Sakura with pink hair that's greying at the temples and light mint green eyes. 
> 
> Sorry this chapter took so long! Work killed off any desire to write and I've had a lot of long days, but I have the tone of the next chapter figured out. So hopefully not another long wait. Thank you for all the kudos/comments thus far! 
> 
> Thank you Alex for reading through everything!


	4. Pin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faith that was once held in the clans and Council crumbles away, and the leadership of the village is left to reckon with old wounds made fresh by The Crush.

Unrest burrows deep into the hearts and minds of the villagers like a festering wound—red and putrid. Anger and resentment bloom into demonstrations and protest. Faith that was once held in the clans and Council crumbles away, and the leadership of the village is left to reckon with old wounds made fresh by The Crush. 

Initial attempts to implement martial law are met with extreme objection by the non-shinobi population. No war had been declared and there were homes to be rebuilt and lives to put back together. Martial law meant money diverted to a military effort. Money that could go to rebuilding the housing wards. However, such recommendation from civilian leadership falls on deaf ears. The Council remains holed up in their chambers discussing the next steps to war rather than address problems within the village. It only serves to ignite dissension. 

Konoha needed to fill the power vacuum left by the Sandaime. Someone to act as a scapegoat for all the resentment held within the village, so that the Council could continue to work unimpeded. Danzo Shimura, a rather unknown figure even among the clans, seems keen on replacing his old teammate. It puzzled Shikaku Nara. Danzo had Hizuren’s complete trust and moved out of the purview of any official within the government. Why would he sacrifice such freedom for the Hokageship? In all his years since becoming Jonin Commander, Shikaku had gathered little intel on Root, Anbu, and The Shimura clan. If Shimura feels confident enough to step out of the shadows then there were more pieces at play than he realizes. 

A single wrong move meant war and many were still too weary--carried too many memories of the last one. Moving the clan heads into action, however, proved to be impossible. Everyone seemed intent on consolidating their power and influence. The Hyūga are eyeing a spot on the Council, have been for decades, and Danzo’s move for the Hokage hat gives them the perfect opportunity. It was no secret the Hyūga held little love for the civilian population, especially civilian immigrants from outside Fire Country. The attempted kidnapping of their heiress had only caused them to turn inward. Maybe the civilians are justified in their resentment. It’s not like the clans show a willingness to work together, to work with non-shinobi. Too concerned with their own affairs.

Shikaku moves his ginshō one space diagonal left against his invisible opponent. He pauses as the Toad Sannin slides the fusuma, taking a seat on the other side of the shogi board. 

“Ascribe Shogi tiles to people all you want Shikaku, they will always break the conventions of the game.” The Sannin moves a fuhyō one space forward and straightens his back, frowning. 

“Is that your sage wisdom, Lord Jiraiya?” The white-haired man lets out a deep laugh that fills the room. It’s obnoxious and makes the Nara grind his teeth. Shikaku isn’t an idiot, can see that Jiraiya is here for a reason and should get on with it. He has little patience for a man far too absorbed in playing the wise fool. Shikaku moves his kyōsha, checking Jiraiya’s gyokushō. The older man rubs the back of his head, acting shocked the game was over so quickly. 

Shikaku plays with his hisha tile, “out with it, you’re obviously not here to entertain me.” 

Jiraiya slouches to match the Nara’s body language. Again, all tactics meant to disarm someone. He pulls out files from his samue, files Shikaku had been looking through in his office at the Hokage Tower. He doesn’t want to entertain the notion that Jiraiya had stolen documents from his office. It makes him angry that he overlooked the possibility of this happening. 

The Sannin tosses the files on the shogi board causing pieces to scatter. “I know you’re looking for a Hokage candidate, and I have one.” He throws another file on top all the other’s. A woman with light brown eyes stares up at Nara Shikaku. He picks up the file shocked to see it. 

“Lady Senju?” 

Check.

Tsunade Senju has spent over a decade outside of the village doing kami knows what. In fact, all the Sannin did little to help the village during the 3rd Shinobi War, and Orochimaru’s return to the village proved disastrous. Shikaku couldn’t afford to pretend Jiraiya’s sudden interest in the village was anything but benign. 

Jiraiya plays with the edges of his haori, “Princess Tsunade has both status and merit within the village. She’s someone the clans will have to respect given her lineage, and is someone the Council will hate because she won’t listen to them. I’m sure Kakashi Hakate is...well a decent candidate, but he’s not a Senju.”

Check.

“And the civilian population? She may stop the war drums from outside the village, but what about from within?” 

“I think you’ll find her to be a rather kind-hearted person, despite her vices.” The white-haired man offers a small, kind smile. There’s a story behind that smile, past the formality and facade of his personality. 

Check

“Of course, she’ll need the majority support of the clans to override any decisions made by the Council.” 

Checkmate.

There were no shogi pieces on the board and yet Jiraiya had pinned his ōshō. Shikaku had no choice but to acquiesce. This was the safest way to keep Danzo in his position, prevent the Hyūga from entering into the Council, and provide stability to the people. The Senju name means something to a lot of people. Like the hisha, a piece that leads the opening of an attack or prepares a counter attack, it is the most powerful piece on the board. Having been reduced to only a few members it was easy to forget their influence, and Shikaku had allowed Jiraiya to move the hisha to check his ōshō. It was a troublesome variable outside of the Nara’s control. 

The Toad Sage stands to leave. “We’re running out of time Lord Nara. When I return with Princess Tsunade be ready.”

Troublesome bastard.

He leaves a mess of tiles and files, all for Shikaku to pick up. He truly hates the Sannin, all three of them. Far too powerful for their own good, far too unknown to control, but he has little other options at this time. He tosses the hisha tile at the fusuma, it bounces off and hits him in the head. 

Troublesome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to do so much shogi research lmao. Ginshō is the silver general, which can move one square straight or diagonally. Fusuma is the sliding doors you see in Japanese homes. Fuhyō is a pawn similar to the one in chess. Kyōsha is a lance and can only move forward like a rook. Gyokushō is the king of the lower rank player or challenge similar to black and white chest pieces. Hisha is a rook and it is considered the most powerful pieces in the game. Samue is traditional Japanese work clothes and the closest thing I could find to Jiraiya's green outfit. Haori is a jacket like kimono. Oshō is the king of the higher ranked players, and a Pin is a common shogi move using the rook to pin a tile that is defending a stronger tile. 
> 
> This chapter took way too long mostly because I was distracted with other things and couldn't figure out what to do next, but I seem to be in a good enough mood to write again! For the record, I don't like Jiraiya but he serves as an necessary bridge to Tsunade. I do however love thinking about civilians and how their lives might be affected in a world of mercenaries. I also would like some justice for the Branch Family, so I hope to squeeze that in. This world building all serves the characters in the end, especially Sakura. Sakura stuff to happen next chapter! 
> 
> Thank you Vicky for editing xoxo! 
> 
> And thank you everyone for your comments and kudos!


	5. Undercurrent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He couldn't quite explain it, but something had shifted in his genin. Like something wild and ancient was leaking through their souls—transforming them.

Beneath the political subterfuge and taunts of the war drum, a much more ancient fear grips the village. The people of Konoha were not superstitious, but the rumors surrounding the Crush leave them burning incense at night. Whispers spread through the village of a forest that sprung to life and consumed the civilian housing district. Rumors of vengeful spirits add to the stress pulling at the seams of Konoha. 

Kakashi, for all his knowledge and genius, is pulled into the undercurrent swirling within the village. He's on the most fragile of tightrope trying to balance his duties to the village with his desire to protect his kids. All while trying to keep the revelation of Sakura's abilities under wraps. 

Only a few trusted individuals knew the truth of the civilian district massacre, and even then, it was unclear how involved Sakura was with the events that occurred there. Neither his student nor Asuma's seemed keen on revealing details. Whatever they experienced must have been deeply traumatizing, and he was not about to have the Yamanaka clan involved. Nor was he going to ask Sakura to recount the loss of her father. 

He couldn't quite explain it, but something had shifted in his genin. Like something wild and ancient was leaking through their souls—transforming them. He wished he could turn his Sharingan off because it was painful to look at them. The starving eye scraped at his chakra, hungry, and ever sensing even while covered. It could feel the energies emanating off his team. 

For now, theories and speculation remain between himself, Jiraiya, Iruka, and Tenzo. One he trusts from his Anbu days, Iruka, who was probably the only sane person among them, and a Sannin, who was their closest thing to an expert at this moment. Although, looking at the way his pink-haired student mocked the toad-sage made him question if Jiraiya could be called an expert in anything. She was hostile towards him after a rather crass remark. Seemed to shut down around the man, and grew protective of Naruto. It was hard to notice, but with a careful eye, one could see the very earth react to her volatile emotions. Perhaps this was why the Sannin was so insistent on bringing Tsunade Senju back to the village to monitor the girl. 

Tenzo decides to observe from afar. Claimed he needed to know her abilities first, but Kakashi suspects there was another reason. The girl seems hyper-aware of Tenzo’s presence, but neither made moves. When Kakashi had tried to ask his student about it, Sakura had provided a cryptic response. Sensei, they’re angry with him, and I don’t know why. Kakashi isn't sure he is ready to figure out who they were. 

Naruto seems filled to the brim with even wilder energy than before. The jounin could swear the scars on the boy’s face were darker, and his teeth sharper. Sakura and Naruto proved to be a disastrous combination—feeding each other’s more mischievous nature. Attracting far more attention than Kakashi would like. 

Iruka steps up to truly begin looking after the boy, fitting into the misshapen family of Team 7, like a perfect jagged puzzle piece. He offers a steadiness Naruto needs at this moment when everything around them feels extraordinary. Iruka, however, doesn't care for Jiraiya. Thinks he has no business around children and doesn't like how Naruto chases after the Sannin convinced there was more to learn. Kakashi is too overwhelmed by it all to address the growing tension. So, Naruto continues to pursue Jiraiya around the village, with Iruka trailing not far behind.

Sasuke hovers between moments of calm and suffering. Feathers would occasionally fall from his hair after a bad flare-up of the curse mark, and Kakashi is reminded of an old Uchiha story Obito told him about a three-legged crow. He can’t quite remember the tale. It makes his head fuzzy and the back of his neck sweaty, thinking about the past. 

Sasuke's chakra is latching onto the seal and letting the mark feed off his spirit. Jiraiya describes the curse mark as an infection, an amalgamation of physical and organic sealing, involving blood and chakra—an insidious juinjutsu. The closest thing he could compare it to was Tsunade’s Byakugo, and the temporary seal placed around the mark was just that, a temporary fix. Jiraiya’s mind was not on the seal, not now, not when there was a village to keep together. Sasuke would have to wait.

The universe must have a terrible sense of humor because Kakashi spent his youth running away from the teachings of his clan only for it to come careening back into his life. The Hatake Clan were a small pack, similar to the Inuzuka, and worshippers of the great Horkew Kamuy. Stories of the kamuy passed orally, and it was the duty of a father to pass on those traditions. However, the specter of war had claimed his father's life well before his stories would become Kakashi’s. Perhaps, it was time to revisit what remained of his people. 

All such thoughts were null, with the appearance of Itachi Uchiha. The delicate tightrope snaps with Kakashi tumbling headfirst into Tsukuyomi. 

In Tsukuyomi, Kakashi experiences an old memory, one from childhood. It crashes like harsh waves during a storm, and he is swimming in the echoes of the past. He’s a boy again, no older than four, and Sakumo is carrying him deep into the forest. They stop at a small clearing where the light filters through the overhang of leaves, and his father places him down on the soft grass. There’s a rustling in the brushes, and from them emerges a wolf, large and white with intelligent yellow eyes. Its muzzle is wet and crimson from a fresh kill, and it opens its mouth to reveal sharp canines. The disembodied voice of his mother echoes from the wolf, but he can’t understand what she says. 

His father walks towards the wolf, and Kakashi calls out, but he has no voice. He watches in horror as his father takes a wakizashi and stabs himself. He watches as his father digs into the cavity of his chest and pulls out his heart—an offering to the she-wolf. She accepts his heart, still beating between her teeth. More wolves appear from the bushes to devour the limp body of his father. Kakashi screams as they pull Sakumo apart. A crow with a swirling tomoe watches in the tree top as the wolves feast. Kakash doesn’t wake up. 

Sasuke feels as if he’s about to vomit. Standing in front of him was none other than Itachi—the man he vowed to kill. Itachi, who refused even to acknowledge him, and demanded Naruto come with him and his partner. It sickens him to think that after all this time, he is nothing to Itachi. Sasuke’s chakra collects at the base of his hand, and he is drawing from the current in the air. The sound of a million chirping birds drowns out all other noises, and the smell of ozone fills his nostrils. Sasuke runs at his brother, with abandon and intent to kill. He doesn’t even reach Itachi, can make out a few words from his brother before the illusion takes him. 

Sasuke wakes up not to the empty red streets of his childhood, but to the mountainous forests of the mononoke—the blood moon hanging above. Many had called this illusion Tsukuyomi, but Sasuke had grown up to the stories of Yatagarasu. Tsukuyomi was Yatagarasu’s twin spirit, just like the Hyūga were the Uchiha’s twin clan. Many had condensed the stories of both into a single legend, but Sasuke knew the truth. The Uchiha were just as entitled to the endless night as the Hyūga. It was Yatagarasu with her cunning and trickery that blessed the Uchiha, and it is her illusions Itachi spins.

A crow sits atop a tall tree and holds an eye in its beak—Sasuke’s eye. It then swallows his eye whole, and it’s right eye blooms with a two-pronged tomoe. It opens its beak to speak. 

Thief! Thief! Thief!

The crow flies away, leaving Sasuke to wander the endless forest, half-blind. The full moon of the endless night hangs above him. Sasuke doesn’t wake up.

* * *

Naruto and Sakura watch over Sasuke and their sensei with solemn looks on their faces. 

“Pervy Sage wants me to go with him on a mission. Just in case those guys show up again. We’re going to find someone to help them!” Naruto flashes a brilliant smile with sharp teeth. There’s a small knick in his forehead from where he hit Gaara. The only evidence of the recent battles. 

There’s no doubt in Sakura’s mind that Naruto will succeed, but her pride swirls and pricks at her stomach. Naruto has no intention of taking her with him, and that pisses Sakura off. She hits him over the head, “You idiot! There’s no way in hell I’m staying here while you go with that pervert!” 

Naruto sniffles, “Sakura-chan! What was that for?” 

Sakura crosses her arms, turning away from Naruto, “we’re a team, and it’s up to us to help our teammates...together! Besides, you shouldn’t trust an old man to watch you back.” 

Acknowledgment blooms on Naruto’s face, “hehe, alright, Sakura-chan, we’re going to bring back this healer-lady, believe it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The three-legged crow or Yatagarasu is a god of guidance, or a sign of heavenly intervention. Tsukuyomi (Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto) is goddess of the moon. For the sake of the fic, they're twin spirits. Juinjutsu is curse seal techniques, Byakugo is the strength of one hundred seal. Kamuy are spiritual beings in Ainu mythology. The Ainu are the indigenous people of Japan. The Hokkadio Wolf are an extinct species of gray wolf, and the Ainu worshipped the wolf as Horkrew Kamuy—the howling god. Wakizashi is a shorter blade carried by Samurai in addition to their katana. Tomoe is a comma-like swirl symbol often associated with Shinto shrines. Mononoke is another term for spirit. 
> 
> I guess this is considered un-beta'd. I didn't have a friend look over it this time. This chapter took forever for a lot of reasons, but mainly because I just wanted to jump straight to the find Tsunade arc. But I needed to bridge some of the events. Thank you for all your kudos and comments!


	6. Fold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “They say at night the Amemasu transforms into a beautiful woman to spirit away unlucky men. Not hoping to get lucky are you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! This fic isn't dead I've just had a lot of trouble writing and really it's only come together in the last few days. I appreciate the continued support even when there hasn't been updates!

Tanzuka-jo loomed over the once beautiful township of Tanzuka-gai⎯⎯abandoned, ancient, and alluring. In it’s shadow, a den for wanton pleasure and vices took root, gutting the land and picking clean the skeletal remains of a once reputable city. Efforts to regulate and codify rampant gambling fell on deaf ears, as officials lined their pockets through bribes from gangs and other unsavory individuals. 

The city was the axis of money and information, and if the whispers were to be believed—that Hime is back in Fire Country—this is where she would be. A whisper was worth more than jewels to shinobi, at least that’s what Jiraiya says as he tries to convince Naruto to give up his hard earned savings. The young blonde excitedly shook the fat frog wallet bragging about all the ramen he was going to buy while Jiraiya laments how hard it will be to track down this Senju woman without something to incentivize people to talk. 

Sakura feels indignation bubble up as she watches the Frog Sannin hover over Naruto. Jiraiya had yet to explain who this woman was or what she looked like, and now he wanted to take Naruto’s savings. Just as Naruto relents to Jiraiya’s insistent asking, Sakura stamps her foot into the ground kicking up dust. Jiraiya freezes and moves away from the boy. There were too many eyes on them for Jiraiya to risk a shouting match with the young girl. He waits to see what she does, can see her mulling on her next actions—clenching and releasing her hands in frustration. 

He pats Naruto on the head, “Eh, kid why don’t you treat Miss Sakura here to some ramen?” 

Naruto’s eyes light up and he drags Sakura to the nearest stall before she could protest. Jiraiya lets out a sigh and feels around his haori for spare coin realizing he would have to make due with whatever was in his pockets. Hopefully they hadn’t drawn too much attention and scared Hime away. 

It was hard to focus while they moved through the market. The mononoke of Tanzuka-gai were active, existing with a rowdy and dangerous energy alongside the townspeople. It was so unlike home where the spirits were subdued and ancient, coiled with great power. Here the spirits were drunk, feeding off the wicked energy brought forth by greedy patrons. She fears what she might find in the dark. Sakura is anxious, unable to ignore the yokais’ presence, can feel the Susuwatari skitter around her feet. Naruto, far too absorbed in describing types of ramen noodles, bumps into a man that lets out a wet cough. Haishaku flutter around his chest like moths and she wants to tell him to see a doctor to let him know he is sick, but she cannot find the words before the man is lost in the crowd. 

“It’s better to let him go, the infection will pass.” 

Sakura’s spins around, wide-eyed gazing at an older woman with light tanned skin, amber eyes, and blonde hair. In the center of her forehead lay a purple diamond, that was impossible to ignore. The woman brushes past Sakura, her grass-green haori swaying some before she is lost to the crowd. She wants to chase after this woman and ask if she can see the Haishaku, but Naruto calls out to her as the market crowd grows thicker in the late afternoon. He leads her to a small ramen stall where they enjoy warm noodles in the hot afternoon sun. The pleasant aroma of tonkotsu broth eases her anxiety, and she forgets her encounter with the strange woman.

* * *

At night the Amemasu swims through the empty streets surrounding the old castle. It is larger than any trout seen by human eyes with translucent scales and jutting bone fins—visible in the pale moonlight. Long before the great warring period and before the existence of Tanzuka-jo, there was a small lake. A terrible drought swallowed up the water and with it the fish, yet the guardian remained. For as long as the town has existed so to had the Amemasu. 

“They say at night the Amemasu transforms into a beautiful woman to spirit away unlucky men. Not hoping to get lucky are you?” The voice is mocking and conceited, and Tsunade recognizes it instantly. She doesn’t turn around, instead feels out in the surrounding area recognizing the thin boundaries of a genjutsu. 

“Tell your handmaiden to leave we need to talk.”

“Don’t call my apprentice that, and why don’t you call off your hospice nurse first?” 

Orochimaru sneers and motions for Kabuto to leave. Shizune lingers for a moment longer before departing. Tsunade stands to face her old teammate wondering what greater power she pissed off to be this unfortunate. She should have left when she had the chance. 

They remain there, unmoving, on opposing rooftops. The Amemasu moves along a familiar path below them unaffected by their presence or the genjutsu. Tsunade is the first to break the silence, “You’re hurt.” It’s a statement rather than a question, because she is not blind. Has been able to see yokai since she was a child—a skill taught to her by her late grandfather. Even if she did not have such eyes it was hard to ignore the smell of rotting flesh. 

“A gift from our late sensei,” Orochimaru flashes a vicious grin full of sharp teeth and Tsunade’s heart sinks to her feet. Their sensei was gone—murdered. Animosity rolls off Tsunade and for a brief moment the Amemasu stops swimming. 

It is already clear what Orochimaru wants, but she will not give it to them. “I won’t heal your arms.” 

“I’m not asking for your healing. I’m demanding you undo the seal.” Had they been able to move their arms, Tsunade imagines Orochimaru might cross their arms in frustration. Would chide Tsunade for avoiding the question altogether. 

“No.” 

Dawn is peaking on the horizon and Orochimaru’s form fades with the growing light. “Fine, a trade then. You give me what I’ve lost and I’ll give you what you lost.” They disappear with the rising sun and the Amemasu dissolves in the sunlight. 

At sunrise, Tsunade returns to her quarters and to a worried Shizune. She doesn’t speak, not until the sun has fully peaked over the horizon. Shizune holds her shaking hands while her mentor details everything. They do not move until the sun has begun to set and the crickets chirp with the fading light.

* * *

Tonight they are with Jiraiya, wandering the market streets full of drunkards and the steam of hot food stalls. Naruto complains about his hungry stomach, demands they stop somewhere before turning in for the night. The older shinobi is growing frustrated with them, this town, and it shows in the way he pauses to school himself. He asks one more time if Sakura or Naruto had seen even a glimpse of Tsunade. Shows an old picture from his younger years. Sakura stays quiet, too embarrassed and too angry to say she saw someone similar. There wasn’t a diamond on her forehead in the photo, and she didn’t want to deal with the pressure of being wrong—didn’t want to deal with any of this. 

The town at night was so loud, so much all at once. Mistreated objects gain new life sprouting eyes, legs, and arms—rowdy with the rest of the mononoke. No one seems to notice as the Tsukumogami congregate in the corners of alleyways or cause mischief on the patrons out in the streets. Naruto pauses and shivers as a pair of Chōchin-Obake float through him, and Sakura wonders what he sees. She’s never been sure how much Naruto knows or maybe this is so normal to him that he no longer pays attention. Maybe when she understands herself she will ask him what he is, why he smells of salty winds and the humidity before a large storm. All she’s certain of is that they each came out of the forest a little different. 

The trio continues down the market street and pass a dimly lit alley with a restaurant tucked away. Sakura stops to read the sign and sees a hand drawn black cat with swooping tail and kanji that read “Maneki-neko.” Cats were said to ward off spirits, maybe inside it wouldn’t be so loud. 

She calls out to them and leads them inside. Once inside, a woman at the very back stands up to yell at the wait staff, calling for more sake. A younger woman tries to pull the loud woman back into her seat reprimanding her for drinking too much. The louder woman locks eyes with Jiraiya, “shit.”

Jiraiya puts his hands out, as if he just came across a wild animal and didn’t want to scare it, “Hime, it’s been a long time you look…” 

“Hey Pervy Sage, who is this lady she looks a lot like…” Jiraiya quickly grabs the boy and covers his mouth. Naruto squirms in his arms trying to break free. 

“You should let the boy down, it sounds like he has a lot of nice things to say,” the look Tsunade Senju sends Jiraiya and Naruto makes them both freeze. 

Sakura feels the room shrink and guilt builds at the back of her throat making it hard to breath. Something brushes against her legs and she looks down to see a small black cat with tufts of gray fur around its ears. It meows, showing tiny fangs, and she bends down to scratch its ears. 

Tsunade takes a long look at the girl playing with the bakeneko, totally oblivious and treating it like a normal house cat. She scrutinizes this child whose presence feels larger than her small frame, whose chakra feels so familiar—nearly bursting from her skin. She sits back down and pulls out a deck of cards. 

Jiraiya breathes a sigh of relief and lets the kids slide in first on the opposite side of Tsunade and Shizune, ordering another round of drinks and food. “Are you going to tell me why you’re traveling with two brats?” 

Naruto puffs his chest some, “Pervy Sage is traveling with us!” 

Tsunade ignores the boy and doles out cards to Jiraiya. It pisses the kid off because he tightens his grip on his skewer. Out of the corner of her eye she catches the girl try to get the boy’s attention as he munches skewers. She brushes a curved hand along her forearm telling him to slow down. Tonton, at this point, decides to make her way over to the new people and both kids become enamored with the pig, and Shizune introduces herself to Naruto and Sakura. 

Sakura? The girl’s parents had a ridiculous sense of humor. Apparently so did the Yondaime and Kushina. Tsunade looks at her hand. Unlucky.

“The village has demanded you become hokage.” The entire table freezes and Naruto clenches the table, shaking. 

Tsunade wasn’t dumb, she knew full well Jiraiya had thrown her name into the ring. To the Council, she was a deserter protected by her family name and skills they would never accept her as Hokage unless Jiraiya already rigged the outcome. “And why are you demanding that I become hokage?” 

There’s a pause and Jiraiya slumps his shoulders. A false tell to appear disappointed. “There’s movement in the village, and not the kind that benefits everyone.” 

“So you want me to piss off a bunch of people?” 

“No, I want you piss off the right people.” 

Naruto decides he’s had enough and slams the table, “What the hell Pervy Sage? You said we were going to find someone to help Sasuke and Kakashi Sensei!”

“Jiraiya, who are these kids?” 

“Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno.”

The nine-tailed jinchuuriki and...She takes a long hard look at Sakura and then Jiraiya. Bjuu containment wasn’t her specialty, but the massive swirling energy surrounding the pink-haired girl was impossible to ignore. It rivaled the boy’s and felt so… well, it reminded her of a forest—of home. Impossible.

“I know you met our old teammate, so you know Sensei is dead. The village needs you now more than ever.” Jiraiya folds his hand, a peace offering, but he still had not told the full story. 

“No. It sounds like a waste of my time and I have no intention of putting my life on the line for that place. Sarutobi was a fool and so many people died because of him.” 

Naruto stands up and slams both his fists on the table. His eyes are red for a moment before turning back to their sky blue color. “How dare you...how dare you disrespect Jiji like that!”

Jiraiya pulls Naruto back before he can lunge at Tsunade, “We’re in a restaurant, settle down.” 

“You’ve been awfully quiet, kid, you have anything you’d like to add?”

Sakura wants to say something but thinking of the Crush makes her angry, and it doesn’t help that she maybe agrees with this bitter woman across from her. She forms a circle with her thumb and first finger and turns her palm upwards. Asshole. Naruto snickers. 

Cute. Tsunade signs back, surprising Sakura. 

“Hime, stop antagonizing them.” 

“You have my answer, Jiraiya. I have no intention of going back. The village can find another loser for the job.”

“That’s it! You’re pissing me off and I don’t care if you’re some important lady. I’ll clobber you!” Naruto puts his fist to his open palms challenging Tsunade. 

“You’re pretty gutsy. Let’s go then,” Tsunade gets up in Naruto’s face putting a foot on the table. Shizune lets out a deep sigh. 

Outside, the quiet stillness of alley betrays the tension in the air. Tsunade tells Naruto that she’ll only need one finger to deal with him. Sakura wants to help but something feels off. She can’t hear the noises of the night market. Why can’t she hear anything and why is it so cold? Naruto is sent flying back and it pulls Sakura’s attention back to everyone. “Naruto!” 

“Before you pass out, why do care so much about the hokage?”

Naruto squares his shoulders, “Because I’m going to be the greatest hokage ever, and protect my precious friends no matter what!” Something about Naruto’s words sends a pained look on Tsunade’s face. He takes the opportunity and starts forming rasengan and charges at Tsunade again. 

Sakura tries to pay attention, to keep her focus on what’s ahead of her, but cool air brushes the back of her neck, and she looks back to an impossibly long, dark alley. Water laps up against her ankles, as if she was at the shore of a lake. She looks back towards everyone to find herself alone in front of her a large, translucent trout rising from the shallow waters in the alley. It sways back and forth as if it were waiting for her to move—the water is at her knees now. She can feel it calling out to her and she reaches towards it, unable to control herself. The water reaches her chest when she feels a hand touch her shoulder.

Tsunade holds a piece of paper in front of her and channels her chakra into it. An intricate seal blooms on the paper and the connection between the Amemasu and Sakura breaks. Sakura falls to the ground coughing up water before passing out. 

Tsunade looks to Sakura, to Naruto still passed out in the small crater, and then to Jiraiya, “Who is this girl?”

“The village has changed a lot, Hime. It's time you come home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was very hard to settle on how I wanted to present this chapter. I didn't want to just rehash the same scenes and it needed to be centered around Sakura. Tsunade is in fact a sensor and knows sealing. I feel like in the war arc her abilities with healing and using slugs to connect herself to people would really lend well to her being a sensor. Her grandmother was Uzumaki Mito she has to know sealing, but her knowledge of it is much different than Jiraiya's and Orochimaru's. All the Sannin specialize in sealing in niche ways. I can't wait to go into more detail about Tsunade's sealing abilities and how it ties in with the spirits. Orochimaru uses they/them pronouns in this fic. I hope I stayed true to Naruto's gutsy ways. I used ASL as a reference for the hand signs because I couldn't find many resources on specific words for JSL. 
> 
> Tanzuka-jo is the castle in Tanzuka Quarters (Tanzuka-gai) where Naruto finds Tsunade in the manga. Susuwatari are the soot balls from Spirited Away! Haishaku are yokai that infect a person's lung, but they are treatable and not as deadly as other yokai infections. Tonkotsu is the classic pork flavored broth in ramen. Amemasu are fish-like mythical creatures in Ainu folklore, typically they are colossal white spotted trout. Tsukumogami are objects that turn into yokai after living 100 years. Chōchin-Obake are haunted paper lanterns. Maneki-neko means beckoning cat like the white waving cats. Bakeneko are cats that become yokai. Sakura signs "slow down" and "asshole."


	7. Twilight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A warm hue of gold bathes the west side of Tanzuka-jo casting the east side of the castle in thick shadows. It’s a ruined monument to a time the two children could only gleam from history books. A time before the existence of shinobi or hidden villages. A time in need of reformation and guidance, as their teachers at the academy liked to describe it.

Shizune forces Naruto to stay conscious to ensure he doesn’t have a concussion. He loudly complains about being tired and needing to rest before training, murmuring an insult under his breath that doesn’t go unnoticed by Tsunade. She threatens to give the boy something to actually complain about and Shizune reminds them that they are not alone in this inn. 

Sakura lets out another large wet cough and further cocoons herself in the blankets. Her entire chest hurts and she’s tired of being under the scrutinizing gaze of every adult around her. Sunlight trickles into the room signaling the start of another day, and she can feel a bone tiredness grip her tense shoulders and heaving chest, as she lets out another cough. 

“I think Naruto should be fine now. Perhaps we should let the children rest?” Shizune turns to Tsunade breaking the older woman from her deep thoughts. She nods and stands up following Jiraiya out of the small bedroom. Shizune looks back as Tonton burrows under the blankets with Sakura and Naruto falls backwards with a triumphant finally before closing his eyes. Shizune slides the shōji close. 

Jiraiya stands at one corner of the room while Tsunade sits at the chabudai in the center—Shizune joins her mentor at the table. 

Tsunade, impatient, gets straight to the point, “has she produced…” 

“From what I can tell, only in moments of extreme duress. I believe she leveled an entire district of Konoha during the Oto invasion, but from all the family records I could find she has no relation to you, Hashirama, or any of Tobirama’s family.” 

“It’s not a kekkei genkai, as much as Tobirama wanted it to be there has only ever been one Mokuton user.” Tsunade says with a hint of malice. It’s no secret that the woman held no love for her great uncle, who politically maneuvered to solidify his power while sacrificing her family on the front lines. Her mother and father were gone before even her grandmother had passed away. Their faces barely a memory to her. 

There was never meant to be more than one Senju as Hokage. In fact, there was never meant to be any more Senju after the first war. Formerly disbanding the clan to allow distribution of power to the masses had failed spectacularly, as other clans stepped up to maintain the status quo, and Senju, aside from Tobirama, lost influence. Hashirama always failed to acknowledge that hatred runs deeper than peace, and Tsunade wonders if this is what caused the schism between her grandfather and Madara Uchiha in the early days of the village. 

However, it did her no good to dwell on the early failings of leadership and the rebranding of old war grievances. All that mattered was the preservation of her grandmother’s legacy, her grandfather’s, and her own. Her accomplishments achieved with her two hands were hers and hers alone, and she must guard it—just as Mito instilled into her. 

When Tsunade seemed lost in thought again, Jiraiya continued to probe for information, “then how else would she have gained such an ability?”

“Through a pact.”

“A pact? Like a summoning contract?”

“No, much more intimate. My grandfather communed with the yokai. He was connected to them, to the forest. He called it a “gift” in his journals, and felt it was his duty to represent them.”

“The Shodaime kept journals?” Hashirama’s knowledge of ninjutsu and specialized skills were never documented. That was the official story. Few alive today had memories of the Shodaime, and by the time Jiraiya was a genin the man had become more myth than person. 

“Yes.”

“And you took them with you? That information would have been useful.”

“It’s not your information to have and it certainly wasn’t something I wanted to leave in the village.” 

“Hime, you’re too paranoid for your own good.” 

“And you’re too trusting for yours. My grandfather passed his journals to me. Not his brother, not any of my distant cousins, me! Forgive me for being protective of it.” 

Deciding it was better not to push Tsunade further Jiraiya again asks about the girl, “do you think Sakura has come into contact with the same gift?”

“I haven’t even seen her make a flower grow,” Tsunade thrumming her fingers along the table frustrated. “The only thing I know is that the Amemasu was trying to communicate with her, and she was communicating back without help from a seal or jutsu.”

Silence creeps into the small room. The only noise heard comes from the soft snores of one of the children in the other room. 

“I won’t return to the village, but I can take the girl off your hands. She clearly has a connection to spirits, and I guess it’s my responsibility…

“Her mother might have an issue with you taking away her daughter.”

Tsunade takes a short breath and stops thrumming her fingers, “Then we have nothing left to talk about.”

“I hope you understand that if you help Orochimaru I will have to kill you,” Jiraiya pushes up from the corner he was leaning against to stand over Tsunade at his full height. In his left periphery he eyes Shizune, unmoving and without emotion. He weighs his options should a fight break out. 

Tsunade’s airy laugh breaks the tension, “Will you now?”

“Hime, whatever they’re offering you don’t know…”

Tsunade stands and makes her way to exit. Shizune stands waiting to follow after her mentor. Before they leave Tsunade stops at the threshold, “that’s my choice to make, and I’ll accept all the consequences.” She leaves without looking back. 

Sakura is torn from a fitful sleep by Tonton escaping from the cocoon of blankets and pushing the shōji enough to escape the room. She’s too drowsy from the short rest to make out the loud voices, only hears the shutting of a door before falling back asleep.

* * *

It’s late afternoon by the time Sakura wakes up again. The low sunlight hits her face and while it’s warm and comforting she cannot stop her body from waking up. Their small bedroom is awash in deep oranges and faint pinks. Her throat is dry and scratchy and she can feel a headache bloom behind her eyes. Tonton is absent but Naruto snores with his mouth wide open. She must have slept for a long time because her stomach rumbles needily, and as she exits the bedroom she finds that her and Naruto are alone. Naruto joins after rubbing his eyes and announcing how hungry he is, and they both agree to find the nearest stall selling something hot. 

They settle on curry in hopes to cure their aching bodies with a warm meal. Naruto, for once, is quiet and Sakura feels the need to fight the silence, “So what deal did you make with that Tsunade lady?”

That got Naruto fired up and he explained that he has three days to master the rasengan. However, Jiraiya was nowhere to be found and Naruto grew sullen unsure how best to train without help. He understood what he needed to do he just struggled to execute it. 

“Can I watch you train?” She had felt left out back in Nami no Kuni when Sasuke and Naruto had mastered tree climbing, and saved the day together. It shouldn’t have bothered her but she always felt jealous by how close Sasuke and Naruto got after their near death experiences. Her near death experience only seemed to make her feel more isolated, as everything about her became stranger. She’s not sure how or when it happened, but she wanted to matter to them—her team. 

“Eh, really Sakura-chan? You want to watch me train?” 

Sakura nods, “It seems cool! We could go training near the old castle? There shouldn’t be a lot of people that way.” 

“Yeah!” Naruto flashes a large, toothy grin and rushes towards the castle.

* * *

A warm hue of gold bathes the west side of Tanzuka-jo casting the east side of the castle in thick shadows. It’s a ruined monument to a time the two children could only gleam from history books. A time before the existence of shinobi or hidden villages. A time in need of reformation and guidance, as their teachers at the academy liked to describe it. 

Once three stories tall, the tenshukaku at the center of the grounds had caved in from the top ceiling leaving only the second and first stories in tact. The other courtyards had long since become part of the town and the pine trees had taken over walls and other architecture growing thicker the closer the two got to the main courtyard. Stone walkways were cracked and covered with green patches of grass, and it was clear that humans had not passed through this place for some time. 

Naruto and Sakura enter the grounds through a collapsed yagura on the west side of the courtyard. It was eerie to move through the abandoned castle grounds, and the warmth of the day faded with the approaching twilight. 

“Maybe we should go back?” Naruto stops. “Um, we can come back and train tomorrow morning.”

“But you only have three days, Naruto! You really shouldn’t slack off…” They freeze as the sound of footsteps became louder, behind them. When they turn around, they see nothing, not even the imprint of shoes in the dirt. 

Naruto grabs Sakura’s arm, “What the hell was that?”

“You’re imagining things Naruto stop being such a loser!” She shoves Naruto off, crossing her arms in defiance. Sakura knows they both heard the same thing, but she’s determined to push forward. She isn’t afraid, she isn’t afraid—she is afraid, and she hated it.

The sun now hangs low on the horizon and when the children look around there is still nothing there, but the footsteps grow closer. There’s a distinct clacking of wooden sandals on stone, yet there is no form in front of them. Goosebumps break out across her arms, and her hair stands on end. There’s something there she just can’t see it. 

“You really should get out of its way. BetoBetosan quite enjoys its evening stroll.” 

Sakura whips her head toward the voice in the east and feels her entire body go rigid cold. The sun dips below the horizon, and the stars begin twinkle to life. Orochimaru stands not ten feet away from them grinning with sharp teeth, and a creature unlike anything she’s seen hangs ravenous over him. 

The Mononoke draped in white robes looms over the Snake Sannin, pulling at the threads of their soul with clawed translucent arms. Red horns peak through knotted white hair, and beneath its prominent brow were two black pupilless eyes. Seals arched up Orochimaru's limp arms, and the sunken indentations of their cheeks seem more pronounced under fading daylight in the courtyard. Sweat breaks out across Orochimaru's face, as the Mononoke's jaw unhinges to engulf their soul. A struggle occurs, unseen by the human eye, between the two before the soul snaps back into its owner's body. The moment is brief, and Orochimaru's chest heaves with labored breaths. They cannot hide the sag in their shoulders or pallor of their skin—atrophy is a slow process. 

“Tell me, is Sasuke with you? I would very much like to see him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a while because I wasn't entirely happy with what I wanted to say, but I figured it out! Thanks for all the wonderful support! 
> 
> I had always imagined that Hashirama wanted the clan system to die out, but people like Tobirama were intent on maintaining their power and abuse it. Madara I feel would have felt betrayed by Hashirama for allowing his brother to become hokage. Kishimoto's timeline doesn't make sense but I imagine it this way: Hashirama steps down, Tobirama becomes hokage, Hashirama and Madara fight and Madara is "killed". Hashirama dies shortly after. Tsunade's parents are killed on a mission and Tobirama cuts off Tsunade from potential position of power. She's still really young and can't do much. Mito is still alive up until Kushina becomes the new fox host. This is how Tsunade has inherited her grandparent's stuff. There's no Senju because there was never meant to be any after the village was formed. They're all just sort of part of the general population. As a result, I feel Tsunade is more connected to her personal achievements and not her family name. 
> 
> Chabudai is the short table traditional in Japanese homes. Tenshukaku is the castle keep or largest building on the castle grounds. Yagura are towers/turrets, and served defensive purposes around the castle. Nami no Kuni is the land of waves. BetoBetosan is a formless spirit that feeds of fear. It follows people at night and sounds like wooden sandals on the ground. To get rid of it you have to say it's name and ask it to pass you by and it will move on. 
> 
> I know I use Mononoke, yokai, and spirit interchangeably. Mononoke I chose for the shinigami because mononoke are specifically described as spirits that cause misfortune. It felt more fitting and Sakura doesn't exactly know what the creature is.


	8. Mizu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chakra whips around the humid air, and steam rises from the young jinchuriki practically frothing at the mouth. The girl pays little mind to the noxious energy swirling around them, nor does she feel the biting sting of the Kyuubi chakra. Her eyes glow bright, and there’s an unsettling calmness in her demeanor. Kabuto is quickly by Orochimaru’s side and catches the Sannin brimming with excitement, “it seems I’ve upset the children.”

Orochimaru is speaking to them, asking questions so casually like they’re old friends that happened upon each other. There’s a persistent, thunderous ringing in her ears muting the sounds around her. She only manages to read Orochimaru’s lips as they continue to speak. The Sannin’s oppressive chakra makes Sakura nauseous, and she cannot stop the slight quiver in her hands, nor will herself to move. 

“Sakura”

“Sakura” 

“Sakura!”

Naruto’s muffled voice finally reaches her ears, and he’s grabbing her shoulders, digging into her skin with sharp nails. His hair is wilder, and the scars on his cheeks darker. He’s got this frantic look in his eyes like he knows how dangerous this situation is. He asks again, voice strained and gruff, “is this the person that hurt Sasuke?” 

A yes escapes her lips, and Naruto lets go to turn to the Sannin. His bones crack with each small movement, and his chakra is whipping around in hot waves. He’s practically on all fours filled with fuming temper, and the quiet courtyard is filled with malevolent, harsh winds. 

Everything snaps back into focus, and all she can see is Naruto, whose eyes are red and cat-like, and face is gripped in a snarl. She’s ensnared by her weakness, and she hates it, she hates how her entire genin career has been wrapped in terror from dream to reality. The world outside of Naruto’s fury falls away, and she feels as if she’s going to blackout—losing her grip on reality. 

Several feet behind her, she sees something rise from the ground. As it surfaces, it sends ripples across the field, as if it were breaching from the depths of water. Familiar, cold waves lap at her ankles, and she is standing on the shore of a lake in the center is the trout kamuy—the Amemasu. It does not move, only sways its tail fin, waiting. 

Sakura is mesmerized for a moment before realizing she’s alone, and Naruto is with Orochimaru. She has to get back, and so she turns away from the kamuy only to find herself in the middle of the lake standing atop its calm surface with innumerable stars in the night sky—the shore no more. The Amemasu is now under her—a reflection swimming in slow circles matching her every movement. Desperation builds as she searches for the bank, and Sakura strikes the surface of the water, screaming, “what do you want from me?” 

Her outburst only disturbs the image below before returning to its undisturbed state. She rests her forehead on the water’s edge between herself and the Amemasu with tears welling in her eyes, “Please, I…I have to go back.” The Amemasu stops swimming, and the water vibrates before growing rocky. She loses her footing, submerging into the depths of the lake. 

She emerges from one of the many pools in the forest of her dreams. The Mizuchi lays at the edge, close enough to touch, with its tail dipping into the waters. As she pulls herself up from the edge, it lifts its head and opens one lazy eye unperturbed by her presence. Carefully, she climbs over the silver serpent and steadies herself on a sapling. The Mizuchi growls, and Sakura jerks her hand away from the young tree. However, she is not the source of the creature’s agitation. Across the way, the Amemasu emerges from the pond. Neither kami speak nor do they move, but Sakura can feel the energy radiating off them through her skin—vibrating in her bones. After what feels like an eon, the Amemasu retreats back into the pond. The Mizuchi wraps around her and drags her into the pool after it. She thinks of Naruto, of the danger, and the desire to protect. Even as her lungs fill with water and the darkness closes in on her consciousness, this is the safest she’s felt in a long time. 

Chakra whips around the humid air, and steam rises from the young jinchuriki practically frothing at the mouth. The girl pays little mind to the noxious energy swirling around them, nor does she feel the biting sting of the Kyuubi chakra. Her eyes glow bright, and there’s an unsettling calmness in her demeanor. Kabuto is quickly by Orochimaru’s side and catches the Sannin brimming with excitement, “it seems I’ve upset the children.” 

Sakura’s left-hand forms the Mizu seal placing her index finger under her thumb and extending her other fingers into a flat palm close to the center of her chest. Inhale. She brings her right hand up to continue the flow of chakra into Tora then Inu before slamming both palms into the earth. Exhale. She feels pent up energy saturate the ground, yet she is a voyeur to her own actions. The ground cracks beneath them, and water burst forth, catching in the wind. Release. Several more cracks appear through the courtyard, causing the dry ground to soften before the soil is unable to absorb any more liquid.

* * *

Tsunade and Shizune reach the gates of Tanzuka-gai, ready to depart when a scream cuts through the air. One of the hired guards is on the ground crawling away while his partner is struggling to pull his katana out of its sheathe to fend off a creature. In front of the two guards stands a Hitotsume kozō with a red lantern in its hand. It’s single eye stares at the two men fumbling to get away, absorbing their fear. Tsunade was intent on moving on, letting the guards realize how harmless this yokai was for themselves, but the trees pick up a forceful gust of wind, and she’s hit with a hot wave of baleful chakra. The air feels humid and saturated with energy that was no doubt causing the yokai in the town to stir. When she looks back towards Tanzuka-gai, she hears distant cries and screams while smoke rises from the market center. 

Shizune drops their bags and is already running forward, Tonton not far behind. The wind is picking up again, whipping up paper and objects around the streets of the town. She has to pause for a minute to calm her trembling hands because the air smells like Konoha 13 years ago when the Kyuubi attacked, and she thinks of her family under the rubble. Remembers the faces of people she pulled out in the cleanup. Tsunade places a hand on her shoulder, and Shizune evens out her breath before the two continue forward. 

Jiraiya finds them in the chaos, as they’re helping a man shoo away several Nuppeppō from the communal bathhouse trying not to gag from the smell of rotting fish. The town had managed to control the small fires started by the mischievous spirits, but the Tsukumogami terrorizing people through the street were not the most concerning issue, and their window to act was shrinking. 

“I think Orochimaru found the kids. I’m sure you can feel their chakra,” Jiraiya is yelling over the racket of the market as they move along the rooftops. “I hope you’re ready.”

Tsunade doesn’t respond; only applies chakra to a small scroll the grows in size. She pushes off the tiled roof with more force than necessary causing it to shatter as she moves ahead of the white-haired man. A piece of chipped tile smacks Jiraiya’s cheek, and he rubs at the small cut, pouting as the three move forward.

* * *

Orochimaru and Kabuto stand on top of the water filling the courtyard. Naruto lunges towards them, trying to move through the water before pulling himself above the surface with his chakra. He runs with erratic speed before jumping into the air, yelling with his fist raised. Orochimaru side steps Naruto's attack before kicking him square in the side unbothered by the child's swings. The boy's efforts seem fruitless until Orochimaru doubles over in pain, seals on their arm coming to life, and Naruto manages to sideswipe the Sannin's cheek. 

Kabuto and Orochimaru shunshin several feet away from both children. The seals along Orochimaru's arms produce a soft glow in the night as the Shinigami wrenches their soul before relinquishing it once again. They let out a labored breath, "it seems I've miscalculated how weak the Jinchūriki's seal was. The boy is leaking chakra everywhere, and it won't be long before that ugly toad shows up. We're wasting time, finish this."

Several yards away, Sakura presses her palms flat together, and a thin wave of water cuts across the newly formed lake separating mentor and master. Beneath the water, the Amemasu's translucent, bone-white dorsal fin circles around the girl illuminating the surrounding area. It then moves towards the Sannin, pulling a massive wave with it. Kabuto pulls out a scroll, and with a small flick of the wrist, the scroll unfurls to reveal intricate seals. He bites the tip of his thumb and rubs blood across one of the seals, which summons a haraegushi. He waves the tool left right left, and the wave of oncoming water subsides, and the Amemasu dips back below the surface. 

Kabuto throws the haraegushi towards the kamuy, causing the spirit to retreat further away. The wand stands upright floating just above the water, and a thin, purplish boundary extends along the lake, illuminating the area with a faint light. Sakura feels the connection between the kamuy and herself snap, and she doubles over hacking up water gasping for air. 

Naruto takes this opportunity to close the distance between him and the snake Sannin only to be intercepted by Kabuto, who unfurls the scroll further to summon a thousand shikigami. The paper manikins swarm Naruto, and he claws the creatures away before sending out a pulse of wind with his chakra. The shikigami are pushed away, becoming nothing more than wet paper, and the boy runs towards the two nukenin. 

Before Naruto reaches Orochimaru, an arm wraps around his waist and shunshins him to the edge of the lake. Both nukenin have little time to react to a flying ax kick from above. The resulting miss impacts against the surface, causing a massive explosion of water. As the mist clears, Tsunade stands with her hand on a large, upright scroll. Orochimaru catches Jiraiya's outline across the dimly lit lake, no doubt subduing the Kyuubi. 

Jiraiya holds a squirming Naruto against the water, red chakra sears his left hand, as steam rises from the surface. Using his free hand, he pulls a sealing brush out of his pouch and pushes the boy's shirt up. The eight trigrams seal glows bright red surrounded by the odd-numbered seal Orochimaru had bestowed upon the boy during the Chunin exams. Jiraiya recognizes the five elements used for Orochimaru's seal and begins to write the kanji for air. Turning the five-element seal into a six-element seal, allows the toad Sannin to close the irregular loop surrounding the bijū seal. The blistering chakra creeps back into Naruto's body, and he lets out an almost happy sigh as he floats on his back, passed out. Jiraiya cradles his now blistered left hand, giving himself a moment to compose himself before scooping up Naruto. Shizune appears beside him, ready to heal his wound, but he instead hands the boy to her. 

"Let Hime and I handle Orochimaru, and stay back with the kids." 

Shizune is about to protest, but Jiraiya stops her, "You trust me, right?" There's a long pause before Jiraiya continues, "actually don't answer that. Just stay out of our way." 

Shizune doesn't have time to even respond before Jiraiya shunshins away. "Asshole," she mutters under her breath. 

Orochimaru's face scrunches with displeasure as Jiraiya joins Tsunade. They notice the way the white-haired man cradles his left hand, trying to hide the wound, "I see you had some fun with the jinchuriki. Tell me, what did you think of my work?" 

"It's poor craftsmanship seeing how out of control Naruto got," Jiraiya answers, hoping to offend his former teammate. 

"You know full well my seal was only ever meant to disrupt, not block." In the dim light, Jiraiya can make out Orochimaru's sneer. It makes Jiraiya's stomach turn because they're right. Something had happened to the original eight trigrams seal, and Orochimaru was not the source. 

"While I'd love to continue this rather unpleasant reunion, I have no desire to continue this fight."

"If you think I'm letting you just walk away."

Jiraiya moves towards Orochimaru, who opens their mouth, letting a blade shoot out towards him. Unable to move, he steels himself for the pain only to find the blade wrapped around behind him, stretching out across the lake. He follows the path of the sword all the way to the glowing spirit. Black ichor is rising to the surface, and the kamuy is thrashing about in the water. Orochimaru swallows the hilt of their retreating sword while the haraegushi lights up in flames, and the barrier dividing the lake begins to disappear. Orochimaru and Kabuto's forms begin to fade away with the brightening sky. 

"The offer still stands, Tsunade. That is if you survive." 

Sakura can see the sun peek over the horizon before the black ichor coagulates, and chaos erupts across Tanzuka-jo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Sakura! I have no abandoned this story lol! I've just had a bad case of writer's block and low energy. Luckily Sakura's birthday reminded me to get to work. Thank you for all the kudos and kind words. Also if you haven't seen it I commissioned some amazing art for this fic by Joey (pstscrtch) on Tumblr. Please reblog it and support his art!
> 
> https://pstscrtch.tumblr.com/post/190702248942/commission-for-llamaemilia-based-on-their
> 
> So in the canon, an uneven seal placed on an even seal causes an imbalance. It kept Naruto from using his chakra properly. Using that logic an even seal on top of an even seal would close the loop. There's some other stuff I'm alluding too for a later chapter I won't explain here. Orochimaru's five element seal uses metal, wood, water, earth, fire as the elements, and air being an element is the sixth prong to close the seal. The eight trigram seal is actual two 4 trigram seals combined, which is considered one of the strongest seals ever. There's more about that but it'll reveal too much in the story you can read the wiki. The original sannin fight will happen I'm just extending the find Tsunade arc a bit lol. Also I'm not sure how the timeline lines up, but for the purpose of this fic Shizune joins Tsunade after the Kyuubi attack 13 years before the start of Naruto. 
> 
> The Amemasu is of course the fish kamuy from Ainu folklore, and finally the stuff I mentioned in earlier chapters about there being a lake comes into play. Mizuchi is a silver serpent or dragon. Mokuton is comprised of two elements: water and earth. So there are two forest spirits, and they each have their own personality. Mizu seal was actually stolen from Boruto I guess but it works for my fic. There's a reference of what it looks like on the wiki. Tora (tiger) and Inu (dog) are one of the 9 hand seals in Naruto based off the kuji-in set of mudras in Hinduism and Buddhism. The inu seal is used in most water style techniques. Tanzuka-gai is the city and Tanzuka-jo is the castle. Hitotsume kozō is a child-like cyclops that scares people on dark streets, but is otherwise harmless. Nuppeppō is a blob yokai that smells like rotting fish. Tsukumogami are old objects that gain a spirit and become yokai. Jinchūriki are the people with demons sealed in them, and bjuu are the monsters. Kyuubi is the 9 tails. Haraegushi is a purification wand waved left right over a a person or object to purify it in Shinto rituals. Shikigami are conjured beings brought to life by an Onmyoji, a civil servant that specializes in divination. They're the paper things Zeniba uses to attack Haku in spirited away. The blade Orochimaru uses is in fact Kusanagi from the manga. Nukenin means missing nin.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated! This is my first fic in years. The Naruto Renaissance really did it to me!
> 
> Changed the original title after a friend pointed out the nasty origin of the phrase.


End file.
